Writing a Press Release - simple and not simple

You can write press releases all day, every day, but if they don't get an editor's attention, you can consider your time wasted. Editors read press releases in 1-2 seconds, have a well-trained eye, and will toss your release you worked hours on if the first paragraph doesn't attract them.

So, what to do? Think about being the editor. You want simple--who doesn't? You want to make the least edits as possible--who doesn't? So the more coherently a release is written, the better its chances of getting picked up by news sources.

Here are the "musts": Make sure you're writing about a newsworth events. They include things like new product launches, technology updates, company donations to the community, etc.

Realize some editors get over hundreds of releases per day, so think before you write: "Is this something I would want to read about?"

Old school PR says "know your audience". I say "know THEIR audience". The goal is to get this published, and an editor will pick something they think THEIR audience will enjoy, not just yours.

Old school PR is right about something things though--never forget these basic elements:
-identify the who, what, where, when, how and why
-make the headline attention-grabbing
-include quotes
-include a background
-finish with a corporate summary
-provide contact information, even if it's just your website

Good luck!